


The Long Hunt Behind

by charbax



Category: Paladins: Champions Of The Realm (Video Game)
Genre: (the special interest is hunting), Awkwardness, F/F, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Hunting, Mutual Pining, Pre-War, Special interest talking, dense lesbians: the fic, every mission becomes a date when ur with ur date lmao, fun fact: the gesture in this fic is the ASL for lesbian lmao, pre-game, sentinels era, viktor is mentioned lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-27 15:18:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18195905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charbax/pseuds/charbax
Summary: Over the past year or so, Tyra's crush on Ash has slowly but surely been building up slowly, accumulating to a Magistrate mission of just the two of them to the edge of civilisation. It would be the perfect oppurtunity to profess her love to Ash...if Ash had been picking up the signs. Sadly, it seems that she's only interested in being friends with Tyra, but at least Tyra can spend some time with her long time crush. Although, those feelings were not as unreturned as she assumed.(Commission for lumenizampel!)





	The Long Hunt Behind

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks again to Lumenizampel for commissioning me to write these blessed lesbians. It was fun!! 
> 
> Check me out on Charbax.tumblr.com for more writing yo

The thing is, Tyra’s used to being the forward one – there’s a small sense of satisfaction when a girl Tyra’s chatting up shyly brushes some hair behind an ear. Though, she hasn’t been flirting anyone else for the previous year or so, just the one, seemingly oblivious, self-titled ‘War Machine’. It wasn’t for the lack of trying, that’s for sure.

She’s done the song and dance: asking out for drinks, trying to get to know Ash better when they had some time together (whether in the barracks or the mess hall or in the presence of others), and laying on as many moves as she could without coming off as creepy.

(A memorable exchange between her and Viktor as it followed:

“You even tried the-?” Viktor held his right hand in an ‘L’ shape, palm facing his chin.

Tyra nodded destitutely.

“...maybe she was raised away from society? How did she not recognise _that_?”)

But so far, it was met with nothing but polite confusion. It wasn’t Ash’s sign of outright denial, which Tyra would know by the narrowing of her eyes and her twisted scowl. Rather, it was acknowledged with knitted brow, then the moment would pass like it never happened. And as Tyra had mentioned before, this had been going on for the previous year without very little changing, and she doesn’t think its going to change now, when there’s a mission that sends them to the fringes of civilisation with only the two of them.

Normally it would be the Sentinals sent on missions like this, but this had called for a hunter’s touch, for the creature was skittish and more prone to escape capture if there were more than two people at a time. And Ash proved a fearsome powerhouse in case the creature wasn’t skittish at all. Some of the more popular rumours speculated that Ash was more machine than human. Those rumours were also very fond of painting Ash as driven, bossy, and _angry_.

Although, she seemed content to follow Tyra’s orders the moment they walked deeper into the forest. Hell, even before that she was was more or less sharing the decision-making with Tyra. Tyra’s worked with the War Machine, and she was indeed a ‘War Machine’ (hah) on the battlefield, so this development was slightly weird, but not altogether unwelcome. Besides, it gave Tyra an excuse to keep glancing at Ash’s profile when she wasn’t looking.

“So uh,” Tyra started, because she has no sense of self social preservation. “Nice day for a day, huh?”

Immediately, Tyra wants to kick herself. _A nice day for a day?_ Who the hell says that? People who like to stick their foot into their mouths apparently, which now includes Tyra. But all Ash does is grunt. “Been nice for the last few days too.”

At least Ash was making conversation now. So Tyra fell back onto one of the things she knew well – hunting. “It’s good. It will be easier to track the creature without the rains or winds blowing away any of their tracks.”

Ash looked around. “Dunno. I see a whole lotta nothing from here.”

“There’s signs all around us, clear as anything.” Tyra pointed at where the bush parted. “Something bigger than your average boar came through here. If it was one, then the tusks would’ve left marks on the lower portion of the tree trunks. But look.” Her finger followed the tree to the upper parts. “Scratches. Broken branches. Around Gorlock height too. Even if they’re nasty when angered, Gorlocks are slow creatures when travelling. This one’s most likely a loner looking for a herd to integrate into.”

“Just the one?”

“If there were more, there wouldn’t be much of a village left.”

Ash shook her head, her words brusque, but her tone genuine. “How do you see all of that in this place?”

Compliment or not, Tyra ducked her head in embarrassment, hoping the flush in her cheeks didn’t show too starkly against her face paint. “I just do. Practice. It’s nothing really. Anyway, we’re on the right track. The Gorlock might’ve been resting for a few days already. The window of opportunity narrows.”

“Lead the way Tyra.”

But instead of continuing following the tracks like she was meant to, Tyra paused. “I want to...clear up something, first.”

Ash frowned at her, leaning on her canon. “Is it about the monster?”

“No?”

“…did I make you upset? Was it something I said?”

“What? No! Why would you think that?”

“Dunno. That’s the only reason I can think of.” Ash said, averting her gaze, uncharacteristically passive. A normal Ash would’ve brushed off the question, or even simply answered it with brute honesty, and Tyra was struck by the sudden realisation that Ash was...nervous. Nervous about what? The hunt? Being alone on a mission with Tyra?

“It’s not that either.” Tyra started. “But I thought we should clear the air before we continue. Dissonance in hunting groups can mean the difference between successfully bagging the creature and not returning at all.”

(Viktor would be so proud of her right now, going on about keeping the peace in the pack. She could see his grin even now, in her mind's eye.)

“Sure.”

Tyra took a deep breath. “What are we?”

“Two soldiers on a mission.” Ash answered bluntly, on par.

“Not only that. What do you see in me?”

Silence filled the forest. Even the birds seemed to have stopped in response, as if holding their breath in anticipation as well. Tyra forced her head higher when Ash gazed at her, expression unreadable. Not angry, not mad, just difficult to parse. Ash bit her lower lip in thought. Tyra couldn’t but be drawn to the flash of white teeth. She forced her gaze back up when Ash finally spoke.

“We’re...I don’t have any quarrels with you. I think we get along well. I think you’re nice to me.”

Tyra heart fell. Maybe she had been mistaken this entire time – it wouldn’t be implausible, no, especially with Tyra’s brash view. Maybe she really had been reading too much every time they hung out.

“No-one’s really that nice to me before. It’s good to have a friend.”

And there it was, the f-word (which was not as fun as her other, more favoured f-word). Friend was fine, however. A little of Ash company in a non-romantic sense was just as good, and it was better than none at all. She’ll cherish whatever time they have together, because it was not just anyone, it was  _Ash-_  

“Even if that’s all you want me to be.”

Tyra stared at Ash, blinking. Those were not the words of a friend, and they definitely not the words of a soldier strengthened by the bonds made in war. “...are you saying...you thought I was just friendly this entire time? I was hitting on you!” 

Ash glanced sharply at her. “Wait. So all that stuff – talking, getting drinks with me, going on missions together – was because you were interested?”

“Yeah, I even did the thing! Y’know, the...hand sign thing.”

“Does that mean anything?”

Oh. Well, at least that explained why Ash didn’t do anything but smile confusedly at Tyra when she did it.

Tyra continued. “That’s not important. What is important is that yes, I was hitting on you because I wanted to be more than friends, but I thought you weren’t interested.”

Now there was definitely a blush on Ash’s face, rivalling the deep red of her dyed hair. “Not many people want to hang out with me in the first place.”

Some of Tyra’s incredulity eased out of her at that admission. That made sense, she guessed, if she had been trying to make moves on someone who never knew those moves existed in the first place. But talking seemed to work faster than all those months of posturing, so Tyra laid a hand on Ash’s shoulder and said, “Well. I’d like to. Maybe over drinks if this hunt goes well.”

(Nailed it.)

“I’d...like that.” Ash answered stiffly. But she wasn’t shaking off the hand, or even grabbing it and using it as leverage to throw Tyra over her shoulder. Small steps, Trya reminded herself. After all, they went from ‘co-worker who I like and get along with but absolutely would like to get to know better’ to ‘I guess we are dating’.

Then Ash’s face shifted into business again. “But we should probably focus on the mission first.” She moved and Tyra’s hand fell from her shoulder – not unkindly, just out of necessity, which Tyra understood. Right. The whole reason why they were here, in the middle of the forest. Tyra readied her rifle again just as Ash picked up her cannon, and the hunter smiled a wild grin at Ash.

“I also have a bit of a tradition; a kiss from a beautiful maiden before a hunt to bring luck.” She tapped her cheek for emphasis.

Judging by the combined glare and return of Ash’s blush, that line was cheesy enough to work. But all bravado disappeared as Ash moved closer. She hurriedly stammered out, “But that’s just a tradition, you don’t have to...”

Ash’s lips silenced the rest of Tyra’s sentence. It was less of a kiss and more of a gentle mash of Ash’s mouth on her own, but it still sent a thrill straight to her stomach. Surprisingly, it was a lot more... _more_ than any kiss she’s ever had in the past. Even if it’s only their lips touching, which Tyra rectified by guiding Ash’s hand onto her own hip, while laying a hand on Ash’s shoulder. Yeah, much better.

Tyra’s lips were still tingling when they parted. “There. For luck.” Ash said. Or Tyra thought she said. She was too busy admiring the honeyed brown of Ash’s eyes, the immaculate precision of her eyeliner. She never had simply been close enough to Ash’s face to see the details until now.

And then Ash was already moving ahead, head bowed slightly, all shy again. But the difference now was that Ash’s dyed hair could hide the rising blush that had spread to the very tip of her ears.

It struck Tyra then, that she knew the difference between an angry storming off Ash, and one who was simply trying to drive away the last of her embarrassment through sheer will alone. Though to be fair, Tyra reflected as she traced her lips with a finger, Ash wasn’t the only one.

So she laughed and called out, “Do you even know where you’re going?” as she jogged after Ash. “The gorlock is in the other direction!”

She normally didn’t take partners hunting on the first date, but she’ll make an exception.


End file.
